COVID-19 Resources

[Mark Sedenquist]

This post will be updated over the next three months as more information is available to the public.

The most accurate public reporting platform that we have found is managed by the Center for Systems & Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. The site is updated several times a day and allows users to drill down to specific states, regions and countries around the world.

Daily Situation Reports are also generated by several entities. Not all of the data is consistent.
World Health Organization (WHO)
** Remarks made by the WHO regarding the shift to calling this a pandemic.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Media Reporting Sites:
Colorado Reports hosted by The Colorado Sun newspaper

(more to come)

[Mark Sedenquist]

At about Noon PDT today, we decided to cancel all public events that we sponsor for 60 days. The decision to expand this policy into May and June is one we will make in the next couple of weeks.

One of the tipping points for me was in this OpEd article in the Newsweek Magazine from yesterday.

And this outtake:

This is from a doctor working in Italy:
“Here is how it looks in practice. Most of my childhood friends are now doctors working in north Italy. In Milan, in Bergamo, in Padua, they are having to choose between intubating a 40-year-old with two kids, a 40-year old who is fit and healthy with no co-morbidities, and a 60-year-old with high blood pressure, because they don't have enough beds. In the hallway, meanwhile, there are another 15 people waiting who are already hardly breathing and need oxygen.”

“Fatality is the wrong yardstick. Catching the virus can mess up your life in many, many more ways than just straight-up killing you. "We are all young"—okay. "Even if we get the bug, we will survive"—fantastic. How about needing four months of physical therapy before you even feel human again. Or getting scar tissue in your lungs and having your activity level restricted for the rest of your life. Not to mention having every chance of catching another bug in hospital, while you're being treated or waiting to get checked with an immune system distracted even by the false alarm of an ordinary flu. “

[Mark Sedenquist]

One of our upcoming Las Vegas Voice Featured Performers is Jenny Ballif, who is known as the #sciencemom and she has prepared a very good video clip about the mathematics of a pandemic and why the COVID-19 is serious for all of us. More importantly why social distancing and “flattening the curve” can make such a huge difference!



Mark

[landmariner]

A good interactive map:
https://data.citizen-times.com/coronavirus/
Source: JHU & CSSE, Novel Coronavirus and Humanistic GIS Lab

[Mark Sedenquist]

Wow, that slider function on the map above really gives one a sense of the growth of this contagion.

Thanks for sharing this!

Mark

[landmariner]

Wow, that slider function on the map above really gives one a sense of the growth of this contagion.

Thanks for sharing this!

Mark

Yes, the slider is a great function. And the ability, at least in the USA, to drill down into a state and local areas. The map also shows there are few places to run and hide!

[DonnaR57]

I do support every medical and scientific professional that is working to come up with a cure and a vaccine. You can be sure that once the latter is tested, I'll be getting it. It took me 40 years to finally get my first flu shot. I will try not to wait THAT long for a COVID vaccination!

Hubby and I finally did the right thing and canceled our plans for Death Valley NP. We are both disappointed, but we know that come fall, winter or spring break next year, we can try again. I think the biggest push, beyond my own vulnerability to this thing, was the closure of restaurants. Neither of us could imagine 4 days straight of fast-food taken from the only two drive-throughs in Lone Pine (McD's and Carl's Jr), every meal, and we're not sure what would be available in DVNP for lunches. We couldn't find information about whether our hotel would allow us to cook in the room, and there were none of those places with kitchenettes available in either LP or Big Pine. (They're small towns.)

This is one situation where we wish we still had our 5W trailer. We'd take it up to DVNP or somewhere with few people and just hole up there, having all of our own facilities right on board. It makes me wonder how many people are renting RV's to do just that.

In the meantime -- if anyone is interested in a series of travel books to read during this time, I highly suggest Matt and Karen Smith's Dear Bob and Sue series. In Season 1, they travel (often fly/drives) to every single national park in the US, and I do mean every one of them. That took place in 2010, when they took a year off work and a bunch of $ from savings to make that happen. Then in Season 2, they start checking out national monuments, state parks and other natural areas. I haven't finished Season 3 yet, but they are continuing this quest and it's now 2018. These are memoirs in the form of emails to friends. They're not done for tourist information, these are their own thoughts and responses to what they see. They are also into hiking, to the tune of 6-10 mile day hikes and an occasional backpack. (I'm coming up on their backpack up the Chilkoot Trail from Skagway, AK.)

If you can't get these from your library, because it's closed or they don't have the books, they're reasonably priced from many sellers, including Amazon and (the first 2 only) Barnes & Noble online. BTW, our county library system has a "Drive through" program starting today, where you order your books online and then come and get them when they're ready. That way we aren't going cabin-crazy during this "unprecedented time". Yeah, I'm off school, though I have virtual "office hours" from 10 to noon every day.


Donna

[Utahtea]

Hubby and I finally did the right thing and canceled our plans for Death Valley NP.......

This is one situation where we wish we still had our 5W trailer. We'd take it up to DVNP or somewhere with few people and just hole up there, having all of our own facilities right on board. It makes me wonder how many people are renting RV's to do just that.


Donna

Donna,

Sorry to hear you had to cancel. We spend 8 days camping in Furnace Creek from March 2 to March 10th. As we left they got a lot of big rains that closed a lot of the scenic drives. I don't know if they've reopened yet. As for campgrounds, ALL the campgrounds in Death Valley are closed! You would have had to camp outside the park if you still had your 5th Wheel. https://www.nps.gov/deva/planyourvisit/conditions.htm

With the governor putting the whole state of California on shelter in place....you're probably better off at home.

We heading home in our RV a week early.

Utahtea

[glc]

The following is from Irene Ken, physician, whose daughter is an Asst. Prof in infectious diseases at Johns Hopkins University, quite informative.

* The virus is not a living organism, but a protein molecule (DNA) covered by a protective layer of lipid (fat), which, when absorbed by the cells of the ocular, nasal or buccal mucosa, changes their genetic code. (mutation) and convert them into aggressor and multiplier cells.

* Since the virus is not a living organism but a protein molecule, it is not killed, but decays on its own. The disintegration time depends on the temperature, humidity and type of material where it lies.

* The virus is very fragile; the only thing that protects it is a thin outer layer of fat. That is why any soap or detergent is the best remedy, because the foam CUTS the FAT (that is why you have to rub so much: for 20 seconds or more, to make a lot of foam).

By dissolving the fat layer, the protein molecule disperses and breaks down on its own.

* HEAT melts fat; this is why it is so good to use water above 25 degrees Celsius for washing hands, clothes and everything. In addition, hot water makes more foam and that makes it even more useful.

* Alcohol or any mixture with alcohol over 65% DISSOLVES ANY FAT, especially the external lipid layer of the virus.

* Any mix with 1 part bleach and 5 parts water directly dissolves the protein, breaks it down from the inside.

* Oxygenated water helps long after soap, alcohol and chlorine, because peroxide dissolves the virus protein, but you have to use it pure and it hurts your skin.

* NO BACTERICIDE OR ANTIBIOTIC SERVES. The virus is not a living organism like bacteria; antibodies cannot kill what is not alive.

* NEVER shake used or unused clothing, sheets or cloth. While it is glued to a porous surface, it is very inert and disintegrates only
-between 3 hours (fabric and porous),
-4 hours (copper and wood)
-24 hours (cardboard),
- 42 hours (metal) and
-72 hours (plastic).

But if you shake it or use a feather duster, the virus molecules float in the air for up to 3 hours, and can lodge in your nose.

* The virus molecules remain very stable in external cold, or artificial as air conditioners in houses and cars.

They also need moisture to stay stable, and especially darkness. Therefore, dehumidified, dry, warm and bright environments will degrade it faster.

* UV LIGHT on any object that may contain it breaks down the virus protein. For example, to disinfect and reuse a mask is perfect. Be careful, it also breaks down collagen (which is protein) in the skin.

* The virus CANNOT go through healthy skin.

* Vinegar is NOT useful because it does not break down the protective layer of fat.

* NO SPIRITS, NOR VODKA, serve. The strongest vodka is 40% alcohol, and you need 65%.

* LISTERINE IF IT SERVES! It is 65% alcohol.

* The more confined the space, the more concentration of the virus there can be. The more open or naturally ventilated, the less.

* You have to wash your hands before and after touching mucosa, food, locks, knobs, switches, remote control, cell phone, watches, computers, desks, TV, etc. And when using the bathroom.

* You have to HUMIDIFY HANDS DRY from so much washing them, because the molecules can hide in the micro cracks. The thicker the moisturizer, the better.

* Also keep your NAILS SHORT so that the virus does not hide there.

-JOHNS HOPKINS HOSPITAL

[Rick Quinn]

This is really good information! Thanks for posting it here.

Rick